Jose Ramirez was supposed to be a utility infielder.

He didn’t have the power. He didn’t have the hitting consistency. But hey, he could field a few different positions at a solid level, so he could stick around the big leagues for a while.

That prognosis sold him just a bit short.

Ramirez is going to go down as the greatest hitter in the history of Cleveland baseball.

And along the way, he has a chance to join one of the most exclusive clubs in MLB history — guys to play 20 or more seasons all with one franchise.

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If Ramirez plays out his recent current contract extension to the finish and then retires, that’d be 20 years just with Cleveland.

This is the entire list of players currently to have achieved that feat:

Brooks Robinson, Orioles, 23Carl Yastrzemski, Red Sox, 23Al Kaline, Tigers, 22Stan Musial, Cardinals, 22Mel Ott, Giants, 22George Brett, Royals, 21Walter Johnson, Senators, 21Ted Lyons, White Sox, 21Cal Ripken Jr., Orioles, 21Willie Stargell, Pirates, 21Luke Appling, White Sox, 20Craig Biggio, Astros, 20Red Faber, White Sox, 20Tony Gwynn, Padres, 20Mel Harder, Indians, 20Derek Jeter, Yankees, 20Alan Trammell, Tigers, 20Robin Yount, Brewers, 20Ernie Banks, Brewers, 20

With a few exception those guys are pretty much all inner-circle Hall of Famers.

And if Ramirez successfully makes it to the end of this contract with even somewhat similar production to what he’s already done, that’s what he’ll be, too.

Ramirez will likely finish his career as the Guardians’ franchise record holder in:

Doubles (Tris Speaker 486, Ramirez 398)Hits (Nap Lajoie 2,052, Ramirez 1,668)Home runs (Jim Thome 337, Ramirez 285)RBI (Earl Averill 1,084, Ramirez 949)

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He’s also the unofficial record holder already for most times his batting helmet flies off while running the bases.

And his best trait: He stayed.

Ramirez had chances to leave. He signed multiple extensions to never leave.

And so when all is said and done, Ramirez will be the hero that Cleveland baseball never even expected. 

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